Automobile chassis



April 7, 1942- L.. G. HURLEY 2,279,120

AUTOMOBILE CHASSIS Filed June 5, 1959 2 Sheets-Shea?l l ATTORNEY.

April 7, 1942. L. G. HURLEY 2,279,120

AUTOMOBILE CHASSIS Filed June 5, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n INVENTOR., 0f?c7, Har/ey, A

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ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 7, 1942 AUTOMOBILE CHASSIS Lon G. Hurley, Inglewood,Calif., assigner to James Dobson Altemus, Roslyn, N.' Y.

Application June 5, 1939, Serial No. 277,426

(Cl. 28o- 124) 6Claims.

rIhis is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No.217,676, filed July 6, 1938. My invention relates to the automotive artand particularly to fuselages.

In present day motor car construction the plane in which each wheelrevolves is always maintained in a fixed angular relation with the planedetermined by the lowermost points of all the wheels. The frame is alsosupported upon the axles by springs with the net effect of causing theframe to rock towards the outside of any curve about which the vehicleis being operated thus shifting the center of gravity of the load alsotowards the outside. In a passenger vehicle this is uncomfortable forthe passengers and in any vehicle increases the tendency of thecentrifugal force created to overturn the vehicle.

The same features of construction noted have similar results whentravelling over a fairly steep lateral slope as on a sharply crownedhighway. The center of gravity of the load shifts toward the low side ofthe vehicle increasing the tendency of the latter to skid or overturn.

It is a principal object of my invention to eliminate the defectsaforementioned in present day vehicular construction.

It is another object of my invention to provide a vehicular constructionwhich will decrease the strain on the wheels of an automobile when goingaround a turn at high speed, thereby eliminating accidents arising fromthe buckling of wheels.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide an automobile chassiswhich will greatly increase the comfort of the passengers in anautomobile and the ease of controlling the latter.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects as well as otherobjects and advantages will be made manifest in the followingdescription taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view from the front of the steeringwheel assembly of my invention with the wheels disposed vertically andwith the frame parallel with the surface on which the frame inclined inthe same direction as the wheels are tilted.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic elevational View from i Athe front of the drivewheel assembly of my invention with the wheels disposed vertically andwith the frame parallel with the surface on which the wheels areresting.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the drive Wheels tiltedlaterally and the frame inclined in the same direction.

Referring specifically to the drawings, a chassis IIJ is thereillustrated diagrammatically as embodying my invention. This chassisincludes a frame II on opposite ends of which are mounted a steeringwheel assembly I2 and a drive wheel assembly I3.

The Steering wheel assembly I2 includes a pendulum supporting yoke I4which is provided on the frame II and which pivotally supports apendulum I5. Also provided upon the yoke I4 are hydraulic cylinders I6,l1, I8 and I9 having pistons 20 on rods 2| and 22', the latter beingactuated by pin and slot connections with the pendulum I5.

Fixed on the frame II are hydraulic cylinders 26 and 21 from the'pistonsof which piston rods 28 and 29 extend downwardly. Pivotally suspendedfrom a down ward extension 30 of the frame I i are knee-action axle arms32 and 33 having springs 34 and 35 respectively, the upper ends of whichconnect with the piston rods 28 and` 29.

Pivoted on horizontal longitudinal axes A on the outer extremities ofthe arms 32 and 33 are steering spindles 38 and 39 on which front axleand brake units 40 and 4I of wheels 42 and 43 are mounted pivotally topermit the steering of said wheels.

Provided on the arms 32 and 33 are hydraulic cylinders 46 and 41, thepistons of which have piston rods 48 and 49 which have suitable pivotalconnection with the upper ends of the steering spindles 38 and 39,respectively. Joining lower portions of the units 40 and 4I by ball andsocket connections is a tie rod 50 which is formed in two sections 5Iaand 5Ib pivoted at 52 to a rigid link 53 pivotally suspended upon theframe II.

Connecting the cylinders I6, I1, I8 and I9 to cylinders 46, 41, 26 and21, respectively, are exible hydraulic conduits 6D, 6I, 62 and 63.

The drive wheel assembly I3 includes, among I other things, a, pendulumsuspension yoke 10 which is rigidly mounted upon the frame Il. Pivotallysuspended from this yoke is a control pendulum 1l. Fixed upon the yoke10 are hydraulic cylinders 12, 13, 14 and 15, the pistons of which areprovided, as shown, on opposite ends of two piston rods 16 and 11 whichare adapted to be actuated by pm noemt-'eenden tions with the pendulum1I.

.anverso I in the planen: the wheels. 'rhume eummstu x buckling of thewheels and prolonga the life of Fixed on the frame il are hydrauliccylinders Il and Il from the pistons of which piston rods 'Il and Ilextend downwardly. Disposed beneath the frame Il is a drive axlehousingI2 having 8l and 8| connect as shown in Fig. 3.'.

Pivoted on horizontallongitudinal axes B on the outer extremities of thehousing I2 and making a ball and socket connection therewith are rearwheel bearing .and brake units and. l1. Pivotally mounted on said unitsare drive wheels Il and 89, these wheels being driven through Adriveaxles slhaving universaljoints Il.

Fixed upon the housing. l2 are hydraulic cyl-.4

inders 84 and 95 the pistons oiwhich have pis.

ton rods s6 and s1, outer ends of which pivotally springs Il and 8i towhich piston rods thetiresbyincreasingthewearareaonthe tread of the tireand spreading thewear nniformly over this area.

The comfort ci the driver and passengers# also 'greatlyincreased intaking turns with a vehicle embodying my'invention as the of passengersto be thrown towards theoutside of 4the cur-ve is'completelyeliminated.

Myinvention also permits further rennements in l automotive design. bylowering the of I .Y gravity; below what was formerly practical.

is because.. whenturning with my'inven- '.tion, thevehicledoesnottendtofloat over the surface .of the. 'road 4as is .the case in design wheretnefieenr' efvgrsvitylis placedlow M ;engineerswould like'to place'it..l

connect with upper portions of the units 86 and l1, respectively. Lowerportions of these unitsl driven along a straight line on a levelroad,vthe

. muchas'shown-in Figs. Zand 4 s o that the frameV Besides compensatingfor the centrifugal forces set upin drivingaround curveamy inventionalso adjusts the center ofgravity of avehicle to increase the safety andAcomfort of the driver and v ers whenlriding'upon a surface with an=va'pprecii'ibl'e lateralslope suchvas is thel case on a vsharply crownedhighway. Where this condition ismet with the pendulums I5 and 1Ireact'to gravitjyto tilti'the wheels and incline the frame is keptsubstantially level'andthe center of gravityy is maintainedsubstantially midway between the`verticalplanes infwhichthe wheels aretrackf ingr' VThis causes the tires to` get a better bite mechanism ofthe steering and drive assemblies I2 and I3 of my invention are disposedas shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Herewe see that the pedulums IS and 1| arehanging vertically vfrom their piv-v f ots and the pistons in all thehydraulic cyl inders of the steering wheel assembly are 'dis-5y .40 Thisholds the Wheels'llxnd ll 1'- in vertical positions and permitsthevehicle to posed substantially in the middle of theirfresp'ec'- tivecylinders.

be steered in the ordinary manner by'fasteering mechanism (not shown).

Likewise inthe drive wheel assemblyflythe"v .pistons in allthehydraulic'cylindersfare inthe middle of these thereby holding thedrive wheels- Il and 89 in` vertical positions asshown. in Fig.-'3though permitting these to be-driventhroughthe axles SII. f

J into the vroadv anddistributes the weight uniformly'onallthe tires.Travel on a'sharply crowned road thus becomes as comfortable and as safeasjon a ilat road.v .l

4 it is Eromanr` inspection of Figures 3 and obvious that invention is`applicable to front wheel. 'suspension'of the conventional axle type.

:iii v'that case, j the front axle -would occupy the same" relativeposition as rear' axle housing l2, andthe frame mounting :wouldbesimilar to that shown-1in thesejFigures 3 and 4.' Aone piece tiei-rod' 'shdu1d,-m1 auchI instance, be used.

' )While I have shown and described coil springs vfor cushioning theVframe, Vmy invention may f utilize semi-elliptic, cantilever, or airsprings.

VI'I'lielpistons infv cylinders 2C, 2 1,v ,18 and .1l are shown-.asbeing.'nmmiauy pensiones. at. about the' II is driven at a considerablevelocityaround al curved portion of the road, as, forlinstance, in arightwarddirection, requiringthat the steering' Y wheels 42 and -beturned as shown ..in 2,55'5;l the Vpendulums I5 and 'Il swing toward.the. out`' side of the curve thereby shiftingthe piston 'rodsl 2|, 22,'IB and il and through'the-hydraulic con:- nections between the variouscylinders;ftilting the wheels toward the' inside orftheicurverandalsoincliningboth front and'rearfendsjbfthe frame I I slightly towards theasshowninFigsJand 4.

. This shifts the center of gravity off the 'Sentire Vvehicle wellinwardly from its {normal relation with the points of contact.b'ctvve-ei1-thezwheelsj` and the road. -The tendency of centrifugalforces lto upset the vehicle is thus nullifled andtheaddii tionalstrains set up by those forces are 'applied'. to the wheels in theplanes oi rotation thereofinf stead of across these planes. fitsresulting from the operation of my invention in this manner are theelimination ofskidding by giving the tires a better bite" 'on the roadand applying the' weight of the load to the tires inside @riad-curveAmong vthe ben'e- '6.5; "-and-mter -uie angles: 'the spindles. s;mutable weight'onfthefframe actuated by 'salidv thrust and returnable toa normal position'by gravity. oper- 50;vertical'centerof the cylinders.,Assn' alterna-v Now when the vehicle embodying-the tive; the'adiustmentmay be alteredso thatv these `pistonsnormally.seat against. thel upperendv of "j road-wheels,y framel suspension meansrmounting thefframe uponthe wheels and means to bank 'fthe wheels in a directionopposite thedirection of aside thrust comprisingy wheels spindles pivotal!!l'Vm'c'nnsitecliiponfthe frame suspension meins. 1U.-

.draulic jackson the saidsuspensionmeans with controlfllnks ttaolled'tBrinsofth'pihdles at ating* connections communicating movement jof `theWeight 0 8CtilBte'the.-hydraulic. l

. tierdbetween wheels of a pair to insure a 'uniform banking of the'wheels. Y V Y 2. A n 'automobile chassis comprising a' frame,

vroadvvheels.V frame `suspension means mounting the 'frameupon thewheels, and vmeans to 'bank' the wheels and shift the center of gravityof the frame in a direction opposite the directionv of a side thrustcomprising wheel spindles pivotally mounted upon the frame suspensionmeans, hydraulic jacks on the said suspension means with control linksattached to arms of the spindles at a distance from the pivots andadapted to Iix and alter the angle of the spindles, a second series ofhydraulic jacks in the frame suspension means supporting the frame andadapted to raise or lower either side of same, a shiftable weight on theframe actuated by side thrust, and operating connections communicatingmovement of the weight to actuate the hydraulic jacks selectively tobank the wheels and tilt the frame in a direction opposite the directionof shift of the weight.

3. A device as described in claim 2 in which the shiftable weight isapivoted pendulum suspended on the frame.

4. A device as described in claim 2 in which the operating connectionscommunicating movement of the weight to actuate the hydraulic jacksinclude hydraulic elements on the frame, and conduits between thehydraulic elements and the hydraulic jacks.

5. A device as described in claim 2 in which the second series ofhydraulic jacks in the frame suspension means are mounted on springs tocushion the frame against road-shock.

6. An automobile chassis comprising a frame, road-wheels, framesuspension means mounting the frame upon the wheels and means to bankthe wheels in a direction opposite the direction of a side thrustcomprising wheel spindles pivotally mounted upon the frame suspensionmeans, hydraulic jacks on the said suspension means with control linksattached to arms of the spindles at a distance from the pivots andadapted to iix and alter the angle of the spindles, a shiitable weighton the frame actuated by said thrust and returnable to a normal positionby gravity, operating connections communicating movement of the weightto actuate the hydraulic jacks, a tie rod between wheels of a pair toinsure uniform banking of the wheels', the tie rod being in two sectionspivoted together, andfa link pivotally connected with the tie rod and'pivotally suspended upon the frame.

LON G. HURLEY.

